Impress employers and recruiters.
Choose from hundreds of resume examples.

Impress employers and recruiters.
Choose from hundreds of resume examples.

Target Resume Now

Tailor your resume to this Director, Media Relations role.

Rezi rewrites your resume against William & Mary and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science's job description. Free.

Tailor your resume to this Director, Media Relations role.

Rezi rewrites your resume against William & Mary and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science's job description. Free.

Tailor my resume

Don't guess if your resume is good enough.

See how it scores against the Director, Media Relations posting at William & Mary and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science — free, in seconds.

Don't guess if your resume is good enough.

See how it scores against the Director, Media Relations posting at William & Mary and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science — free, in seconds.

Get my score

About the Role

The Director of Media Relations leads regional and local media engagement for William & Mary, promoting the university's national preeminence by pitching stories and faculty experts to news outlets. This role serves as the primary link to the press, coordinates promotional efforts, and advances the university's reputation through integrated media strategies. The Director will foster a culture of belonging and trust, ensuring alignment with institutional values and strategic priorities.

Responsibilities

• Lead regional and local media engagement efforts for the university, working directly with university leadership, the President’s Executive Leadership Team, Cabinet, and the Office of Public Safety.
• Promote William & Mary and its national preeminence by pitching stories and promoting university staff and faculty as experts to news outlets.
• Advance the university’s reputation through integrated earned, digital, and emerging media strategies.
• Direct and manage media response and pitches, with a focus on local and regional media.
• Serve as a senior liaison between media organizations, university leadership, and campus partners.
• Write and build a strategy for media plans for major university announcements or events.
• Manage institutional processes for media access, including film requests for campus.
• Monitor media coverage and identify themes, opportunities, and risks, working closely with the Executive Director to build strategy.
• Coordinate media placements and prepare experts for interviews, with a focus on local and regional media.
• Lead University Communication’s media workspace efforts during emergency or campus-wide incidents.
• Oversee media tracking and analysis to support the Media Relations and broader University Communications team’s efforts and strategies.
• Work closely with the University Advancement Research & Analytics team.
• Leverage data to inform decision-making, refine messaging, and improve performance.
• Oversee vendor relationships and tools related to monitoring, analytics, and reporting.
• Provide strategic guidance for and contribute as necessary to the writing, editing, and proofreading of stories for W&M News.
• Work with the Content & Strategy team on special projects & major events.
• Serve as university spokesperson as necessary, including evening and weekend hours.
• Advise senior leadership on messaging, reputational risk, and media engagement strategies.
• Work closely with the Executive Director of Media Relations and the Director of Crisis Communications in managing crisis communications for the university, as needed.
• Serve as an on-call representative for emergencies and other after-hours needs on a rotating basis.
• Perform related duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in journalism, communications or a related field or equivalent combination of education or experience.
• Significant, progressively responsible experience in media relations, strategic communications, issue management or related work (typically 7 to 10 years).
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing.
• Excellent understanding of all primary media channels, including broadcast, digital and print.
• Experience serving as a media spokesperson for a complex organization.
• Ability to write and edit quickly and meet deadlines.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the latest Microsoft Office, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.
• Knowledge of AP style and proficiency in social media usage and analytics.
• Experience managing media monitoring platforms like Critical Mention, Meltwater, etc.
• Experience with emerging media channels, including podcasts and/or online publications.
• Previous experience in higher ed, government or other complex organization(s).
• This position may require overtime to include scheduled and unscheduled, nights, weekends or holidays.
• This is a University Professional (UP), exempt position and is expected to exercise discretion and independent judgment in fulfilling assigned responsibilities.
• A resume and cover letter are required for this position.
• Provide up to three pitches you were involved with in the last three years that had the best outcomes, including a summary of those outcomes and why they were successful.
• Provide up to three examples of a pitch you were involved with that had great potential but wasn't realized and why.

Skills

• Media relations
• Strategic communications
• Issue management
• Effective oral and written communication
• Media channel understanding (broadcast, digital, print)
• Media spokesperson experience
• Writing and editing
• Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
• AP style
• Social media usage and analytics
• Media monitoring platforms (Critical Mention, Meltwater)
• Emerging media channels (podcasts, online publications)
• Crisis communication

Location

• Williamsburg, Virginia

Work Type

• Hybrid
• Regular (benefited)
• Professional (exempt)

Experience Level

• 7 to 10 years of progressively responsible experience in media relations, strategic communications, issue management or related work
• Director level

Education Level

• Bachelor’s degree in journalism, communications or a related field or equivalent combination of education or experience.

Salary/Compensations

• $75,000 to $80,000, commensurate with experience and internal alignment.

Benefits

• Retirement
• Health insurance with options for expanded dental and vision
• Group and optional life insurance with coverage for spouse and children
• Flexible spending accounts
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Educational assistance
• Professional development
• Wellness benefits
• Robust holiday schedule
• Access to fitness facilities on campus
• Access to university libraries

About the Company

• Founded by Royal Charter in 1693, William & Mary is America’s first university, bringing together the breadth of a public liberal arts and sciences education with the innovation of a preeminent global research university.
• The Office of University Communications serves as the central communications office for the university, leading crisis communication response, managing media and filming requests, serving as the primary link to the press, providing media training, and coordinating university-wide promotional efforts.
• The team works to promote and celebrate the work of faculty, staff, and students and to promote the overall vision, mission, and brand of William & Mary.

Equal Opportunity

• EEO is the Law. Applicants can learn more about William & Mary’s status as an equal opportunity employer by viewing the "Know Your Rights" poster published by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. https://www.eeoc.gov/know-your-rights-workplace-discrimination-illegal